Renaldo (15 page)

contempt that he focused on the Italian.

“That may be true, Señor Bucharo, but he can certainly be of assistance

to me. Señor De Seta was my father’s personally appointed executive assistant,

as well as being a longtime family friend and confidant. There was no aspect

of my father’s business dealings of which he was not aware. We have discussed

several topics since my return to Buenos Aires, not the least of which is your

virtual dismissal of Señor De Seta from every facet of responsibility. Perhaps

you would rather that I seek independent legal counsel before the will is read,

so that I am fully aware of its contents and my rights.”

“That . . . that will not be necessary, Señorita,” the stunned visitor professed

meekly. “I assure you that I have only your best interests at heart. But there are

certain legal facts about your father’s estate that are plainly and simply the law.

You need sound legal advice to deal with them. I am your father’s appointed

executor. Nothing can change that. I am the one you must deal with, and none

of this concerns Señor De Seta!”

Bucharo was becoming more and more irritated by the second. He had

been warned by some of his colleagues that the young San Marco girl had a

mind of her own, as well as being a finely bred, well-educated beauty.

“Señor Bucharo, those are your choices. We can continue with Señor De

Seta present, or we can postpone this meeting until I have sought outside

counsel. What will it be?”

“Very well, Señorita, let us proceed.”

Bucharo figured that De Seta was the lesser of two evils as far as

implementing his plan was concerned. The immigrant would have to be

taken care of right away, though. The lawyer spread several documents on

the general’s large desk, arranging them with meticulous care. When he was

finished, he stepped back and motioned for Maria to assume the general’s chair.

Once seated, Maria stared down at the documents, all of which were turned to

the last page, the page requiring her signature.

“Are you not going to explain these papers to me, Señor Bucharo, before

I sign them?”

“I have prepared a synopsis of the will and its effect on the estate. I also

cover the new trust that has been set up on your behalf. I have it right here for

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you to read at your leisure. I did not want to burden you with legal details at

this very difficult time. All that is required at the moment is your signature on

these documents, then I will be able to administer the estate without concerning

you about unimportant details.”

“Señor, you must think me a fool!” Maria responded. “You bring me a

synopsis of my father’s will instead of the actual document? I will sign nothing

until I have read the original last will and testament! Do you think that I was

studying needlepoint and flower pressing on the continent, Señor? This is the

twentieth century, and women everywhere are awakening to opportunities never

before available to them. The world of commerce and finance is opening up to

people like myself. Women who don’t have to live under the yoke imposed on

them by domineering, arrogant men! I want to learn about my father’s business

interests, and Señor De Seta has agreed to stay on and help me acquire that

knowledge. The first thing I want you to do, Señor Bucharo, is to bring me the

original copy of my father’s will, so that I may study it. Then, and only then,

will I allow you to explain these papers which you are so anxious to have me

sign. Be forewarned that you are not dealing with some mindless female who is

content to receive an allowance once a month, or whenever some stuffed-shirt

lawyer decides she can have a few crumbs. Do I make myself completely clear,

Señor?” Bucharo stared blankly at Maria before answering in his most haughty

tone of voice.

“Very well, Señorita, we will do it your way. But you will see that you are

at the mercy of the estate’s executors. I would advise you that your personal

relationship with those executors is of the utmost importance as far as your

financial well-being is concerned. I have the original will in my briefcase right

here. I will leave it with you, as I have another original at my office. Please give

this matter your immediate attention, as there are decisions that have to be

made right away. Good day to you both. I will let myself out.”

Bucharo had gathered up the documents on the general’s desk while he

spoke and had replaced them with a single manila envelope containing the will.

He was flushed with anger as he strode through the door out into the foyer.

Lonfranco, who hadn’t uttered a word throughout the meeting, was in

shock over what he had just heard Maria say. He had always known that she

was not afraid to speak her mind, but to say such things to a man of Bucharo’s

stature was unheard of, especially from a lady.

“Maria, I don’t believe what you just did. You must be more careful if

your future depends on that man. He could ruin you! And what is this story

about me staying on to help you learn the business? You did not discuss that

with me last night, and Bucharo has made it painfully clear that there is no

position for me as far as the estate is concerned.”

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“Lonfranco, I do not trust that man. I have known him since I was a small

girl. He would come to the casa to deliver documents to my father. Mama

hated him! He was always so condescending, so phony. I think I am seeing the

same Señor Bucharo that my mother saw. My father switched lawyers several

years ago, but like many people, I imagine that once his will was signed he just

forgot about it. He should have changed his executors, but he obviously put the

matter out of his mind. I will send for Señor Orlando Houseman, my father’s

lawyer for the past few years, to read the will and advise me of its contents.”

“Yes, that would be a good idea. I have had dealings with Señor Houseman,

and he has impressed me as an honest man. Your father would often seek

his counsel on various business opportunities. He was very involved in the

British railway dealings. You should read the will yourself before you see him,

though.”

“Yes, Lonfranco, I fully intend to read it, but seeing as you have met Señor

Houseman, perhaps you could go to his office right away and persuade him to

see me as soon as he has an opening. Would you do that for me?”

“I will leave this instant. With any luck, you will be able to have an

audience within a day or two.”

Several hours later, Lonfranco returned to Casa San Marco with a portly

man dressed in a vanilla cotton suit and a straw boater. He made the man

comfortable in the library, then went to find Maria.

“May I present Señor Orlando Houseman, Señorita Maria San Marco.”

“Señor Houseman, how good of you to come on such short notice,” Maria

said in a surprised tone. “I had not expected to be able to talk to you for

days.”

“My heartfelt condolences, Señorita San Marco. Your father’s death is a

national tragedy. Señor De Seta explained your predicament to me, and I think

I have some timely information for you. Your father was a good friend of mine,

as well as a client. I asked him every so often about his will, but he found the

subject distasteful and would always change the topic of conversation. I am

certain that the general thought that he would live forever. Do you have the

will ready for me to take a look at?”

“Yes, Señor, it is right here. I have read through it once, but there are

several areas that you could help me with.”

The meeting continued well into the night. Maria arranged for the

evening meal to be served on trays in the library so that the three of them

could continue their studies of the document. Señor Houseman explained each

paragraph in detail and made certain that both Maria and Lonfranco understood

its implications.

Because Señora San Marco perished along with the general, a large section

of the document’s contents were not applicable. What was pertinent was the

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clause dealing with surviving issue under the age of thirty years, should both

parents predecease them.

The will clearly stated that until the surviving beneficiaries attained age

thirty, the estate was under complete control of the appointed executors. These

men, of which Señor Bucharo was the most senior, had absolute control over

business decisions inside the estate, and also the amount of income that flowed

annually to the heirs. It was exactly as Bucharo had stated, Maria was at their

mercy, with one exception.

“Clause twenty-six ‘C’ is your only escape from this arrangement, Maria,”

Señor Houseman explained. “Should any surviving issue marry before attaining

the age of thirty years, then said issue’s entire portion of the estate shall be

deemed vested upon her wedding day.”

“So the only way I can rid myself of Señor Bucharo is to get married?”

“Exactly! Other than that action, you are stuck with your father’s appointed

executors running your affairs for the next six years, approximately. Now I

must tell you about some matters that have come to my attention concerning

the dealings of Señor Bucharo since your father’s death. As Señor De Seta can

confirm, I was working with your father on the expansion of the Pampas rail

lines. The British interests were very high on the project. Thousands of acres

of land were to be acquired to accommodate the railway. General San Marco

insisted that the property owners be made aware of the impending expansion

and be paid a fair price for their land. As a result of the events of that tragic

Sunday, I have had to turn all your father’s business files over to Señor Bucharo

as legal executor of the estate. I have since heard through the legal community

that Bucharo plans to run the owners off their land using vigilantes and paid

henchmen. He would, in turn, purchase the land through one of his shell

companies, and then sell it to the British at a great profit. He is a man of no

moral conscience, and he has done similar contemptible things in the past. That

is why your father dismissed him. I am certain that this is not his only diabolical

plan to benefit from the general’s shrewd business acumen. Be extremely wary

of that man, Señorita San Marco. He has the ethics of a serpent.”

After Señor Houseman had departed, Maria and Lonfranco remained in

the library for over an hour discussing the gloomy situation that confronted

the General’s daughter and her clouded future. It was Maria that shattered the

dismal mood with a profound statement that sent Lonfranco reeling.

“Well, my dear friend, it seems like there is no other solution than for you

and I to be married immediately, before that bastard can ruin my inheritance

and soil my family name! Do you accept my proposal?”

Lonfranco’s ears were ringing so loud he was not certain that he had heard

her correctly. His stomach was full of butterflies. He thought that he was about

to faint.

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RENALDO

“What was that you just said? Are you serious? Please, Maria, do not

trifle with my emotions. The death of your family is more than I can bear. It

devastated me even more than the loss of my own family. I could not stand

being treated in a frivolous manner by you now. Perhaps I should just go.”

The heiress was at his side in an instant. She grasped his face gently with

her two hands and pulled his lips down to meet hers without saying a word.

Her kiss was the tenderest sensation that Lonfranco had ever experienced. It

seemed to last forever, and his brain swam in a sea of conflicting emotions while

his manhood felt the soft pressure of her thigh for the first time.

He was truly speechless when the embrace concluded. He turned from her

to conceal his passion from her eyes.

“We have always been fond of one another, Lonfranco, ever since that first

day we met at the polo match. I have always had a special place in my heart for

you, and I have watched you grow into the fine man that my father thought the

world of. I think loving you will be easy if I let myself do it. Up until now, I

had other goals to achieve before I could allow myself the indulgence of loving

someone. That is why I have kept our relationship platonic all these years. I

did not want to end up like so many of my girlfriends, married with three

children and dreadfully unhappy by the time they were twenty. Don’t you see,

Lonfranco? This could be the solution to all our problems! Marry me, and we

will be done with Señor Bucharo and his despicable schemes. I promise you that

I will be a good wife and business partner, and bear you many sons.”

“I am sure that your father would have wanted better for you, Maria. I

can offer you nothing. You deserve a brighter future than to be married to a

virtually penniless immigrant. There are men of wealth and social standing

that are far more suited to be your husband.”